Guard rail barrier from recycled tires

Abstract

Elongated protective barrier apparatuses, assemblies and methods of manufacture and installation, are provided that utilize strips of recycled tire tread for attachment within an elongated recess of a guardrail. The elongated recess includes a base, first and second outwardly tapered walls, a minimum width defined between the outwardly tapered walls and an outer opening opposite the base. The elongated protective barrier includes a base layer and a plurality of additional layers sequentially stacked upon the base layer. The base layer includes a first base layer surface having a first base layer width, and a second base layer. The first base layer width is less than or equal to the minimum width. The plurality of additional layers have widths less than that of the elongated recess and are configured to substantially fill the recess at least up to, if not beyond, the outer opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An elongated protective barrier configured to be attached within an elongated recess of a guardrail, the elongated protective barrier comprising:
 a base layer having a first base layer surface and a second base layer surface, the first base layer surface having a first base layer surface width less than or equal to one-and-one-half (1.5) inches, the second base layer surface having a second base layer surface width greater than or equal to the first base layer surface width; 
 a plurality of additional layers sequentially stacked upon the base layer, each layer of the plurality of additional layers including a first surface facing the second base layer surface and having a first surface width greater than the first base layer surface width; and 
 wherein the base layer and the plurality of additional layers stacked upon the base layer define a height being greater than four (4) inches. 
 
     
     
       2. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each layer of the plurality of additional layers includes a second surface positioned opposite the first surface; and 
 the second surface of each of the plurality of additional layers incudes a second surface width greater than the second base layer surface width. 
 
     
     
       3. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first surface width of a given layer of the plurality of additional layers is greater than the first surface width of a preceding layer of the plurality of additional layers; and 
 the second surface width of the given layer of the plurality of additional layers is greater than the second surface width of a preceding layer of the plurality of additional layers. 
 
     
     
       4. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second surface width of each of the plurality of additional layers is less than or equal to seven (7) inches. 
 
     
     
       5. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second surface width of a given layer of the plurality of additional layers is greater than the first surface width of the given layer of the plurality of additional layers. 
 
     
     
       6. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second surface width of a given layer of the plurality of additional layers is equal to the first surface width of the given layer of the plurality of additional layers. 
 
     
     
       7. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outermost layer resting upon the plurality of additional layers opposite the base layer; 
 the outermost layer having an outermost layer width greater than seven (7) inches. 
 
     
     
       8. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fasteners configured to extend through the outermost layer, the plurality of additional layers, and the base layer; and 
 the plurality of fasteners further configured to extend beyond the first base layer surface. 
 
     
     
       9. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the base layer and the plurality of additional layers stacked upon the base layer include a plurality of sequential aligned holes defined therethrough; 
 each hole of the plurality of sequential aligned holes is configured to receive one of a plurality of fasteners; and 
 the fastener is configured to extend beyond the first base layer surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 9 , wherein:
 each hole of the plurality of holes bisects each respective width of the base layer and the plurality of additional layers stacked upon the base layer. 
 
     
     
       11. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the base layer or one or more of the plurality of additional layers is formed from strips of recycled tire tread. 
 
     
     
       12. The elongated protective barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of clips connected to at least one of the plurality of additional layers or the base layer, and configured to couple the elongated protective barrier to the guardrail by clipping over the guardrail. 
 
     
     
       13. A protective barrier assembly comprising:
 an elongated channel including an elongated base having a minimum width, first and second elongated outwardly tapered walls extending from the elongated base, and an outer opening having an outer opening width greater than the minimum width defined between the first and second elongated outwardly tapered walls; 
 a plurality of layers of rubberized material positioned in the elongated channel and stacked upon the elongated base, the plurality of layers of rubberized material including:
 a base layer having a base layer width less than or equal to the minimum width of the elongated base; and 
 at least one additional layer stacked upon the base layer, the at least one layer having a width greater than or equal to the base layer width and less than the outer opening width; 
 an outermost layer extending at least partially beyond the outer opening of the channel; and 
 
 a plurality of fasteners extending through the plurality of layers of rubberized material and configured to fasten the plurality of layers of rubberized material to the elongated base of the elongated channel. 
 
     
     
       14. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one additional layer includes a first additional layer having a first additional layer width and a second additional layer having a second additional layer width; and 
 the first additional layer width is greater than the base layer width and the second additional layer width is greater than the first additional layer width. 
 
     
     
       15. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the width of the at least one additional layer is constant. 
 
     
     
       16. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the width of each layer of the at least one additional layer varies between a first width and a second width; and 
 the first width being greater than the base layer width and the second width being greater than the first width. 
 
     
     
       17. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the outermost layer includes an outermost layer width greater than the outer opening width. 
 
     
     
       18. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the outermost layer is formed from ground recycled rubber. 
 
     
     
       19. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 at least one layer of the plurality of layers of rubberized material includes at least one strip of recycled tire tread. 
 
     
     
       20. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the base layer and the at least one additional layer are formed from strips of recycled tire tread. 
 
     
     
       21. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the plurality of layers of rubberized material are connected together with an adhesive. 
 
     
     
       22. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the plurality of layers of rubberized material include a plurality of aligned holes spaced along a lengthwise direction of the plurality of layers; 
 the plurality of aligned holes bisect respective widths of the plurality of layers of rubberized material; and 
 each hole of the plurality of aligned holes is configured to receive a fastener of the plurality of fasteners. 
 
     
     
       23. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 each layer of the plurality of layers of rubberized material includes a respective width varying according to a variable width of the elongated channel defined between the first and second elongated outwardly tapered walls. 
 
     
     
       24. The protective barrier assembly of  claim 13 , wherein:
 each layer of the plurality of layers of rubberized material includes a first width and a second width; 
 the first width being substantially equal to a maximum width of an adjacent preceding layer; and 
 the second width being substantially equal to a minimum width of an adjacent succeeding layer.